What is it that separates stars from also-rans? For example, in all the
films that I have seen with Tom Cruise and James Spader I can conclusively say
that Spader is better looking, a better actor, and exudes a charm, and depth
on-screen that the mannekin-like Cruise never does. Yet, the dwarfish dark actor
is a sex symbol, who opens at least one blockbuster film a year, and has been
nominated for the Academy Award. Spader, before his latest tv gig on Boston
Legal (a spin-off from The Practice) was stuck in mediocre filmic sci
fi fare like Stargate, Supernova, or the titular film, with the
occasional low budget good film (Secretary) shining through. Why? I
simply do not understand it.

Is Spader just the relentless artiste while Cruise a no-talent sellout?
Thatís my guess. Anyway, in this film Spader plays Julian Rome, another
misfit, outcast, rebel scientist-type, with a shady past in the SETI community.
He is sent to Antarctica, where he has a woman from his romantic past. In a
sense, this film is highly derivative of The Thing From Another World, Alien,
The Abyss, and many B films from the 1980s. Yet, Spader was coming of age
in Steven Soderberghís sex, lies, and videotape, and seemed that he was
going to be a major star, at that very time.

In a way, he is the Julian Rome character, fallen from grace, yet phoning
in a performance- Spader as the smirking, devil may care, ladiesí man, and
Rome as that within the film. Is there a plot? Yes, there is an alien thatís
cheesy, a couple of humans who betray the others, a denouement of sorts to the
romantic angle of the film, and an end meant to invoke wonder. It makes the
failed ending of The Abyss seem like 2001: A Space Odysseyís, by
comparison.

You may be wondering as to why, in this review, Iíve not given many
details. Well, thatís because utterly nothing stuck with me about this film-
it is wholly generic. Even Spaderís flashes of brilliance (which are there)
seem, somehow, rote and forced. In a sense, I felt like this was a vanity film,
made merely so that Spaderís small legion of fans would come out and see it.
There are other actors and characters- Janine Eser plays Dr. Kate Brecher and
Leslie Stefanson plays Nyla Olson, but I cannot even tell you which was the love
interest or not. The rest of the cast was generic, as well.

Oh, did I mention that thereís a nuclear explosion, too? No. I guess
because little of this film makes sense, although, if what Iíve read about
this yearís flop film extraordinaire, Alien vs. Predator, is true they
borrowed heavily from this already unoriginal film. Oh, yes, more returns.
Spaderís Rome is a linguistics expert whop, in a matter of a few minutes,
breaks down a wholly alien secret code- one that even his Antarctic
super-computers canít. I want to be a film star, please. And the title-
clearly playing off the aforementioned two film franchises that co-developed the
box office bomb mentioned above.

Iím in a haze. Is not film supposed to entertain? I mean, even Plan
9 From Outer Space and Robot Monster were fun. Films that are simply
bad and dull, well, they star the James Spaders of the world, and folk write
about how disappointed they are to see such a good actor in them- what the hell
was his agent thinking? Canít Tom Cruise die on set? Like when they did that Twilight
Zone film in the 1980s? Wait a minute, Carl Lewis, the sexually ambiguous
ex-Olympic track and field champion, is in the film. But, heís black and-
well, he dies well before the end of the film. See what all your goldíll get
yaí, brother!

Somehow, I was waiting for Jose Ferrer to show up, to be a good bad guy.
Or Mel Ferrer, or Juan or Pablo. Someone, get a Ferrer in this film to spice it
up! Or, at least, they could have put a scene of Lewisís coming out in the
flick, to give it some relevance as the first Alien ripoff film to deal
with homosexuality, but no. Iíll bet Spader ixnayed that!

Take the money and run, eh, Jimmy? wait, now I get the title- itís
post-modern. Itís so banal and endebted to other films that it all makes
sense, now. But, I drift back to Supernova, a film Spader made a few
years earlier. At least there he got to get close to Angela Bassett. Why canít
I? Get close to Angela, I mean.

Wait, now I recallÖ.Iím not an actor. Here I am, watching the DVD
features. A making of featurette. Why do I want to know that the director- name
slips me, forgive me, please!- thinks that there is real depth to the film?
Then, a trailer. No. Yes. I forget. Does it matter? I refuse to go back and
check. You cannot make me. I refuse. This is the prerogative of every good and
honest critic.

I refused
to do so for Tom Cruiseís abominable Vanilla Sky and I refuse to do so
for this film- Spader be damned! And then I remember where I first saw James
SpaderÖ.the early 1980s, some meager tv melodrama called The Family Tree,
or something. Heís a rebel teen. It reminds me of Family. With Kristy
MacNichol. Sexually ambiguous- you know what I mean. Carl Lewis. Theyíre
coming to get you, Barbara. No, watch the skies! Youíll enjoy
yourself more than this film. Goodnight, Gracie.